Bailer



W. J. FLURY Aug. 18, 1936.

BAILER Filed Jan. 24, 1954 1.. IAVL 7n Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES BAILER William J. Flury, Long Beach, Calif., assigner of one-third to Lewis P. Brandel and one-third to Frank Halfen, Long Beach, Calif.

Application January 24, 1934, serial No. 708,063

11C1aims. (01.166-19) This invention relates to well tools, such as employed in drilling or operating deep wells. The invention relates particularly to a valve and means for controlling the same. While features of the inventionrmay be employed for opening a valve at the bottom of the'well for any special purpose, the invention is particularly applicable to a pressure bailer.

`In this type of bailer the tool string carries 1o an air-tight chamber closed below by a valve. In the present invention, this valve is mounted on a seat so that by movement of the valve longitudinally of the axis of the tool, it moves off of its seat. The valve is opened automatically 15 when the bailer shoe strikes the bottom of the well. This releases the well pressure which exists within the lower portion of the bailer, and the liquid or gas in the lower portion of the bailer immediately escapes past the valve into the air-tight chamber, which is at a relatively low pressure, such as atmospheric pressure. When this occurs, a reduced pressure is developed within the bailer with respect to the well pressure, and this causes a sudden inrush of sand or other material from the well into the sand chamber of the bailer.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide simple means whereby a relative downward movement of the tool string will effect the opening of the valve, In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the valve comes onto its seat by an upward movement from below, and this is advantageous because the pressure communicated from the well to the interior of the bailer,

assists in holding the valve on its seat until the time arrives for the valve to be opened. In accordance with my invention, I provide means for effecting a relative rotation of parts associated with the valve, and utilize this relative rotation for effecting the opening of the valve.

This relative rotation is produced by the relative downward movement of the tool string when the bailer shoe strikes the bottom of the well. When a tool of this kind is` descending in a well, sometimes the shoe of the bailer may strike an obstruction, or due to a crooked hole its downward movement may be resisted. If this occurs, it might cause a relative downward movement of the tool string, which would cause a premature opening of the valve. One of the objects of the invention is to provide simple means of preventing such a premature opening of the valve.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the'novel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an efficient bailer.v Y

A preferred embodiment of the invention is 5 described in the following specification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing: y n

Figure 1 is a side .elevation of a tool string pro- 10 vided with a bailer embodying my invention,` certain parts being broken away. Y

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken about along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and particularly illustrating details of my invention. In this view, sec- 15 tions of the tool string above and below are also shown in section. Y i i Figure 3 is also a vertical section somewhat similar to Fig. 2, but representing certain parts in cross section, that areshown in elevation in 20 Fig. 2. This View also merelyillustrates `the parts particularly associated with the valve. y

VVFigure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but withv the valve seat and cam member shown in cross section. Y Y V 25 Figure 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, and particularly illustrating yieldable means for preventing premature opening of the valve when the bailer is descending in the well. v Y 30 Figure 6 is a horizontal cross section on the line 6,-6 of Fig. 3, and further illustrating details of the invention. l

Figure 7 is a view illustrating a modied embodiment of the invention, and in this view one" 35 half of the device is shown in full lines and onehalf in cross section on the central axis of the tool.

Figure Sis a vertical section vtaken through a cam sleeve and illustrating details of the same.

This sleeve is employed in the embodiment of 40 which is provided with a mandrel section 2 von 50 which a casing 3 is mountedfor telescoping move ment, said casing being adapted for relative up-l ward or downward movement on the tool string, but normally located in a` relatively depressedv position, that is to say, at the limit of its down- 55 Y' 9 including a shoe ID- at the lower end of the bailer for engaging the sand, and through'which the baileris charged.. Y

Referring now particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and.l 4.,1VV Y.

provide within the casing or barrel 3, an actuator,

'15 preferably in the form of lampli-ter'sleeve II.. 'In'V the present instance, thisV sleeve ismade as'anl Vintegral extension projecting up from the threadedrneck I2 of the coupling Ibetween the Vcasing 3 and' tube section 1. This sleeve is formed l Y 20. preferably Withtwo diametrically opposite hell?.

Y cal slots I3`that extend downwardly into the sleeve' fromits upper edge. VWithin the sleeve- II I provide valve opening Vmeans, consisting of an inner member I4, whichis preferably in the form of a V25, cam sleeve, that is Yto. say,V it is provided with N cam means for cooperating with the valvewhen la relative rotation of the valve and cam occurs,-

to openV the valve. This innerV sleeve is therefore. provided with a VcamY edge I5,` (seerFig. V3) and this 39.* cam edgefengages withthenupper side of a cross pinv lsfcarried by Vthe siem |.1 of the valve la. 'I'he cam sleeve I4 preferably has two such cam edges I5 located-diametrically opposite each other and cooperating with opposite ends of. the cross v Bjpin I6.VY The valve-I8 comes upon its seat 1.9 Yby anl upward movement, the said seat being provided in -the present instance, at'the lower end of Ythe tool string section 2. In Yaddition, tofthehelical slots I3the's1eevefl .ly is provided with two. diarrletrie,a-`

- Y4.o1v/oppo-si'ce str-aight slotsZUf, and these. slots. are engagedby theeiids-ofthe pin` I6. The cam sleeve .I I4 isprovidedwith-rigidrneanssuch asfbuttons vM.,f see Figi to run in the helical slots I3..V A

' .oil spri. e122. within sleeve. I4.Y normally holds 5fthe 'valve on its seat. v In the operation ofthe tool, the downward' movementof the tool strnewill. embed-the. shoe Iin thesandV The.sand will prevent rotation.

of theshoef. .A furtherdownwai'd movement of 59'k the Vtool string with respect to the casing 3, will vcause the buttons ZI to rotate as they 'descend in the slots I3, that is tosay, these-buttonswill causer a rotation of the cam sleeve I4on itslongitudi.,

Y nal axis-91nd. will at. the same time; rotate the 55.1too1 string. But the pin Ifr traveling in the.

' s traightls'lots. 2B, will prevent rotation -of the valve lllon itsaxis, and hencewa relative YrotationV of.A

. thefvalveand calnrsloeve -Mwll occur, In this Way, theoarn edges l5. will move the. valvedownV G0 Yand off of its seat. Y-'.I'hisY will open Ythe valve suddenly, 'whereupon the well pressure which ex.. ists. with-,in the.' sand chambers., will be suddenly 'releaseduointo theair-tight chamber 4.. ThisV will causea sudden inrush of sand and material G5; through the bailar shoe. and this-way charge the bailer. VThis sand will be retained in thefsand chamber-by the usual checkvalve 23V (ses Fig. 1.). .In lowering-a. lt', J,olof.tl,iis kind down a Well,l

the Contact of the shoe withthe well casing may 70A tend to,` cause a premature relative upward movement. of the casine'o. on theA tool str-ing. .wirk/11.1.. might cause a prematureopenineof thervalve.

Y In order..to.-rneet this. contingency, I'provide meansfofr yieldingly holding theV casing Y3. ina '1o-relativelydepressed. position. on vthe Sectionv 5..,

` tion 2;

For thispurpose I prefer to provide thesection Y 2 with a spring ring 24 (see Figs. 2 and 5). This spring ring is carried under a circumferential shoulder 25 in the section 2, and is received in a counterbore 26 in the upper end of a split sleeve or nutV 21Y that screws into the upper endoof the casing 3. Just below the counterboreY Y26 an inclined shoulder 28 is formed. The spring ring V24 is asplit ring. which can collapse under the Way, itV would require Vconsiderable downward pressure exerted at the shoulder 25, such forexample, astheweight ofthe tool string. j

g -In addition to this spring ring `24, I prefer to Y provide a regular flat coil spring!!! around the Y section 2 within the casing 3, and the lower end of this spring thrusts against the upper endrof the sleeve II. TheY vupper endY of this Yspring thrusts against the lower packing collarA 30 of: a series of collars. 3l that are formed on the sec-V Y The uppermost collar of these collars is engaged by the lower end of the split sleeve 21, and this. limits the downward'movement of the casing 3. on the tool string. In order to facilitate access tov the Yspring'29, the section 2of they tool string is preferably formed of an upper piece 2a and'to this upper piece the cam sleeve I4 is rigidly connected by a tight threaded joint 2c.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I illustrate lanother' embodimentV of the.v invention'in which theV valveY is not vprevented from-rotating as it lifts off its seat, but I simply pull the valve off its seat while permitting it to rotate. Referringto Vthese Fig- 3 ures 'l and 8, 32 indicates the casing correspond-v ing to the casing 3, and 33 indicates the 'lower portion of an outer sleeve corresponding to the.

' sleeve shown in Fig. 9, and this sleeve 33 is rigidly ofwhich is. engaged by a corresponding end of the cross pin 3.4 carried by the valve 35. Within the outer sleeve,v 33 an'inner cam sleeve. 36V isV provided, constructed as illustratednin Fig. 8.. This sleeve is rigidly securedto thelower end of a mandrel 36ar by screw threads. This man-.- drel 36a corresponds to the mandrel 2 of Figs.VV 1 to 3.( This sleeve has two diametrically opposite 34 pass. With'th-,is organization of parts, it. will be evident that when the tool string moves downwardly relative to the casing 32, the pinsV 34de-Y scending. in the helical slots corresponding to the slots I3, will Ycause the rotation of the valve 35. Von its longitudinal axis.` This will cause the pins 34, to move along the cam slots 31, thereby pulling the valve open. The inner, sleeves such as. the sleeve 36 and the sleeve I4.. are formedwithside. openings such as the openings 38 and 39 (see Fig. 8.), and the lower end of the sleeve is'formed with an integral cross bar such as the Ycross bar 4.0 shown in Fig. 10. cross bar is'of reduced width sov as to provide an opening 4IY atieach side, through which the oil or water can pass upwardly through the sleeve before it'reaches the valve.

" At aosuitable point, preferably at an elevated pointvin the air-tight chamber 4, a relief valveV 42`Yis provided asindicatedin Fig. V1'.

In order todischarge the bailer after l itis Y withdrawn from the mouth of the well, the bailer with an orifice 45 in the side of the bailer,l (see Fig. 1).

- If desired, this bailer can be used for spudding in a well that is not under pressure.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein, is only one ofthe many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim is:-

1. In a pressure bailer, the combination of a tool string having a closed air-tight` chamber, a bailer casing carried on the lower end of the tool string and having a sand chamber with a shoe at its lower end for engaging the well bottom, said casing mounted on the tool string for telescoping upward movement and normally occupying a relatively depressed position on the tool string, a valve seat, and a valve at the lower end oi the air-tight chamber capablel of moving longitudinally of the casing for closing off communication between the same Vand the sand chamber while the bailer is descending within the well, a sleeve within the bailer casing having a helical guide slot, means associated `with the valve, brought into action by relative upward movement of the casing when the shoe strikes the Well bottom, to cooperate with said helical slot for effecting a relative rotation of the valve and the last named means for moving the valve longitudinally of the casing to move the same oi of its seat, thereby releasing the pressure in the sand chamber, and causing an inrush of sand and material from the well into the sand chamber.

2. In a pressure bailer, the combination of a tool string having a closed air-tight chamber, a bailer casing carried on the lower end of the tool string and having a sand chamber with a shoe at its lower end for engaging the well bottom, said casing mounted on the tool string for telescoping upward movement v.and normally occupying a relatively depressed position on the tool string, a valve seat, and a valve at the lower end of the air-tight chamber capable of moving longitudinally of the casing for closing off communication between the same and the sand chamber while the bailer is descending within the well, a sleeve within the bailer casing having a helical guide slot, cam-meanscarried at the lower end of the tool string engaging the valve brought into action by relative upward movement of the casing when theshoe strikes the well bottom, to-cooperate with said helical slot and thefvalve for moving the valve longitudinally of the casing to move the same off its seat, thereby releasing the pressure in the sand chamber and causing an inrush of sand and material from the well into the sand chamber. Y

3. In a pressure bailer, the combination of tool string having a closed air-tight chamber, a bailer casing carried on the lower end of the tool string and having a sand chamber with'a shoe at its lower end for engaging the well bottom, said'casing mounted on the tool string for telescoping upward movement and normally occupying a relatively depressed position on the tool string, a, valve seat, and a valve at the lower end of the air-tight chamber capable of moving longitudinally of the casing for closing off communication between the same and the sand chamber while the bailer is descending within the well, a sleeve within the bailer casing having a helical guide slot, a cam-member mounted at the lower end of the tool string, said valve having means foreng'aging the cam-member, said sleeve, .valve and cam-member cooperating when the shoe strikes the well bottom and. moves the casing relatively upwardly, to effect a relative rotae tionof the valve and cammember through the agency of said helical slot to move the valve longitudinally of the casing and off of its seat, thereby releasing'the pressure in the sand chamber and causing an inrush of sand and material from the well into the sand chamber. l

l `4. In' a pressure bailer, the'combination of a tool string having a closed airftight chambena bailer casing mounted for longitudinal movement on'the lower end of the tool string and having a sand chamber with a shoe at its'lower end for engaging the well bottom, said casing normally occupying a relatively depressed position on the tool string, a valve seat, and a valve cooperating with said `seat for closing off communication between the air-tight chamber and the sand chamber Awhilehthe bailer is descending within. the well, a sleeve within thebailer casing having a helical guide slot and having a straight guide slot extending longitudinally with respect to the axis of the bailer, a cam in the form of a sleeve carried by the tool string and having means for engaging the helical slot to cause rotation of the cam sleeve, said valve having means rigid therewith and guided in the said straightslot, said valve having a part for engaging the cam, said sleeve, cam and 'valve cooperating so that when the bailer shoe strikes Vthe well bottom and is arrested thereby the relative downward movement of the tool string with respect to the shoe will eiect rotation of the cam sleeve relative to the valve to move the valve oil.D its seat, thereby releasing the pressure inthe sand chamber and' causing an inrush'of sand and material from the well into the sand chamber.

5.'In a pressure bailer, the combination'of a tool string having a closed air-tight chamber, a bailer casing carried on the lower end of the tool string, having a sand chamber with a shoe at its lowerend for engaging the well bottom, said casing mounted on the tool string for relative upward-telescoping movement, a spring associated with` said casing for normally holding the same in a depressed position on the tool string, a valve seat, a-valve capable of vertical movement carried at .the lower end of the air-tight chamber for closing 'off communication between the air-tight chamber andthe sand chamber,V a spring for normally holding the valve onits seat while the bailer is descending within the well, a sleeve within the bailerlcasing having a helical guide slot and having a straight guide slotsub'- stantially parallel with the laxis ofthe bailer, a cam sleeve associatedvwiththe rst-named sleeve and having means running in the helical slot, said valve having a rigid cross pinrunning in the straight slot, and engaging the cam of the cam sleeve, said first-named sleeve,fsaid camsleeve and said valve cooperating when theV shoe strikes the well bottom so that the relative downward movement o-f the toolv string with respect to the shoe, will effect a relative rotation of the cam sleeve and the valve to move the valve off of its seat, thereby releasing the well pressure within the sand chamber and causing an. inrush of sand and material from the Well into the sand chamber.

6. In a pressure bailer, the combination of a tool string having a closed air-tight chamber, a. bailer casing carried on the lower end of the tool string and having a sand chamber with a shoe at Y its lower end for engaging the 'well' bottom, 'said casing mounted on -the tool string for relative upwardV telescoping movement Vand Vnormally occapying a depressed position on the tool string, a

'valve'seatyand a valve at the lower end of the air-tight chamber capable of moving longitudi- Y nally off the Ycasingrfor closing on communication between the samerand the sand chamber while the bailer is descending within the well, a sleeve' Within the bailer casing having a helical Aguide Y slot, means'associated with the valveV and Voo-V Voperating'`vvitlifsaid helical slot for effecting a y VVx'eiative .rotation between said means Vand V'said valve for moving the valve Ylongitudinally of the casing to Vmove the same oi'ofY its seat, thereby releasing the pressure in the sand chamber, and causing aninrush kof sand and material from the well .into the sand chamber, a spring for normally holding the `casing in itsrdepressed position on the tool string; and means other than the `said Y spring for yieldingly resisting vrelative upward Y movement of the Ysaid. casing on the tool string Yof the valve.

while the bailer isrdescending in thewell, to prevent accidental upwardv movement of the casing relative to the toolstring and 4premature opening 7. .InV a pressure bailer, the combination .of a tool string having a yclosed air-tight chamber, ya bailer casing carried on the 1ower end of the tool string 'and havinga .sand chamber with a shoeV at its lowerV Vendv for engaging the Well bottom, said casing mounted on'the tool string for relative Y upwardY telescoping movement and `normally occupyingraV depressed position on the tool string,

la'valve seat, and a valve at the lower end of the Y airtight chamber capable of moving longitudi- YVnallyr of thefcasing for closing off communication between the'same and the sand chamber while the bailer is descending `within the well, a sleeve Vwithin the bailer casing having-Va helical guide I slot,V mean-s associatedY with the valve and cooperating with said helical `4slot'for effecting a the upper vend Vof the 4casing for :yieldingly resist--VV Y ing downward movement of the tool string relative to the casing to prevent premature relative v upward movement of the' casing and premature t opening'of the valve, saidsp'ring `ringoperating to collapse when the bailer Vshoe strikes the well bot-l i tom to permit downward movement of time tool smug relativeto the casing. Y Y Y Y f8.1n a pressure bailer, the combination of a tool Ystring having a'closed air-tight chamber, a

lbailer'casing carried `on the lower end of the tool string and having a sand cham-ber with a shoe at Y Vits .lower end .for engaging the well bottom, said casing mounted on the tool string for relative Vupward telescoping movement `and ynormally occupying a' depressed position on the tool string, a valve seat, anda valve at the lower end of 'the answer: Y

air-tight vchamber capable moving iongitudi nally of the casing for closing on communication between the same and the sandchamber while the bailer is descending within the wel1, a sleeve within the bailer casing having a helical guide slot, said sleeve also havingv a straight guide slot substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the bailer, a cam sleeve within the first-named Y sleeve, said valve having across pin engaging the cam of the cam sleeve and running Vin the Vhelical slot, said first-named sleeve,'said cam-sleeve and said valve cooperating `so that 'when the shoe strikes the well bottom and the tool string down- Vward with respect to the shoe, the rotation of said valve by the helical slot, relative toV the VcamV sleeve, will move theV valve off its seat,thereby Y releasing the pressure intheV sand chamberand causing an inrushrof sand `and material 'from 'the v Y Vwell into the sand chamber.

9. In a welll tool, lthe 'combination of Va tool stringV having ai valve seat andY `a valve carried thereon, an outer sleeve having a helical guide slot and having a straight guide slot extending substantially parallel with `the axis of the tool, and a cam-member carried at the Y1ower end of the tool string, associated with the sleeve, said valve having a part running rin one of said slots',

Vas

and said cam member havin'ga part running in the other slot, said valve engaging the cam and all of said parts cooperating softhat upon a downward movement of the tool string with respect to the rst-named sleeve, the 'valve and the camV sleeveV will be given 'a relative rotation' to move the valve longitudinally of the tool string and olf its seat. Y Y Y 1o. rn a wen mor-the combination`ofY a tool string, 'a casing carried by the tool string, a'

valvef seat, a valve carried within the casing, Y

capable of vertical movement, an outer sleeve within 'the casing fand rigid therewith, having a helical guide therein and having a straight guide extending substantially parallel to the'zaxis of the tool, andan inner cam sleeve within the outer sleeve, said valve having means for Yrunning in oneof said guides, and 'said cam Vsleeve having a part running in the other of said guides, .all of said valve, said outer sleeve,'and said cam-sleeve cooperating soY that a downward'movement of the tool kstring with respect to the casing and the outer sleeve, will -effect relative rotation of the valve and cam sleeve and move the valve on its seat; v

11. In a pressure bailer, the combination of a bailer casing, a shoe'mountedrto Vslide relatively upwardly on the bailer casing when the shoe strikes the Well bottonnja valve seat and a valve on'the seat capable of moving longitudinally of the casing to open the valve, V'opening means forl opening the valve, said valve rand said opening meansY being relatively rotatable with respect to each other,V and actuating means carriedl by the shoe operating when the shoe"strikesthe well bottom and moves relatively upwardly `on theV casing, to effect a relative rotation ofthe valve and said opening means, to open the valve.

' Y WILLIAM J; FLRY. 

